The expectation of a bounce-back performance for the USA Basketball national team was put on hold with the announcement on Tuesday that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics would be postponed for about a year because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
For basketball players, who nearly all play in other leagues, the delay will not have as great an impact as for athletes that build careers around the Olympics. The change, however, could have a significant impact on the team that the United States sends to Japan once the 2020 games are rescheduled and the United States seeks to rebound from a seventh place finish in the World Cup.
The opening ceremony this summer was scheduled for July 24. That could have caused a conflict for NBA players if the 2019-20 season had been resumed or rescheduled to be played this summer. But in making the announcement on Tuesday, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach indicated that the games could be played at a different, earlier timetable.
That potentially could bring them closer to the NBA Finals, impacting participation. If the start of the next NBA season is delayed after a resumption of the 2019-20 season, that could increase the likelihood of an overlap of an NBA season and an Olympic schedule. The USA Basketball training camp this summer had been scheduled to begin July 4.
A revised timetable potentially in conflict with an NBA schedule could also lead to conflicts with the four remaining Olympic Qualifying events that had been scheduled for June 23 to 28 in Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia. The United States has been among seven nations, along with Argentina, Australia, France, Iran, Nigeria and World Cup champion Spain that had qualified along with Japan which qualified as the host country.
USA Basketball had named 44 finalists, including Rockets guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, for the team to be coached by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and assistants Steve Kerr of the Warriors, Lloyd Pierce of the Hawks and Jay Wright of Villanova.
The delay could increase the competition for roster spots. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, who had been ruled out for the balance of the 2019-20 season, are expected to be back next season and were on the list of finalists.
The WNBA 2020 schedule had included an Olympic break from July 11 to Aug. 13. USA Basketball had announced 32 finalists to play for South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, including Houstonians Brittany Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Nnemkadi and Chiney Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks.
USA Basketball had already postponed all of its events, including the June Nike Hoop Summit, an annual international juniors All-Star game.
jonathan.feigen@chron.com
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March 24, 2020 at 11:00PM
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How pushing Tokyo Games back could impact NBA participation - Houston Chronicle
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